Hands trembling, Cammy muttered a soft prayer. She was praying that she didn't poke her eye out trying to put this eyeliner on. She was just about finished getting ready. She chose to wear a simple black halter dress. Its hem hit her in the middle of her shin. Nothing she had that was nice would cover the scrapes on her arm, so she just dealt with it. The make-up she painstakingly applied to her face covered any marking on her face, including the scar, only partially however. She smudged pink tint onto her lips and pouted into the mirror like when she was a little girl playing in her mother's make-up. Suddenly she missed her mother more than ever. She should be able to be with her here. Cammy had never gotten to do anything like this with her mother. Her father had never gotten to see her like this. Never gotten to hold her hand and tell her how she looked wonderful that night. That she reminded him of her mother. It wasn't a big deal, but at the same time it was.
After she had done just about as good as she thought she could do on her face, Cammy reached and pulled her hair down from the braids. She ran her fingers through it, liking the wave that the braids gave her waist-length hair. She pushed it back away from her face and let it fall. It would do just fine. She slipped on her best looking, and coincidentally, the most uncomfortable, shoes and headed out of her room. She knew that Guile and Wagner would be waiting. Though she had tried her hardest, she had fallen into the stereotype of girls taking longer to get ready. Great.
Cammy's jaw dropped when she saw Guile and Wagner. Guile stood by the door in full Air Force dress blues. He looked so distinguished. Several bars and medals decorated the sleeves and right breast of his jacket. Wagner was beside Guile in black dress pants and a black jacket. When he turned to look at her she noticed his tie was the same midnight blue as his eyes, making them sparkle. His hair had grown and now he added a little gel, making the ends spike up along his face.
Guile stepped towards her, smiling. He grabbed her hand and patted it.
"You look so beautiful tonight."
Cammy's breath caught. She was suddenly overwhelmed with emotions. She stepped forward into Guile's embrace. She repeated into his chest.
"Thank you, thank you so much."
He seemed to understand and squeezed her tightly. Wagner came behind her and grabbed her shoulders. He turned her around and spoke.
"You clean up really nice Cammy."
She smiled at him, happy enough to cry, but happy she didn't so her make-up could remain intact.
"You too. Who would have thought?"
Wagner offered Cammy his left bent arm and she encircled hers in it. Guile did the same with his left and the three headed for Guile's honor party. She was going to spend the evening with the two people she cared about most in her life. Her father and her brother.
--
"AHHH!! Fuck you all!!"
Julian beat wildly at the steel door. His wrists were badly bruised and his knuckles were raw and bloody. Sweat ran down his bare back. He had been going on like this for hours now. It had been hours since he was roused from bed by three fellow Shadowlaw soldiers. Though he had asked frantically what was going on, they hadn't spoken a word to him. They only carried out orders. It took only a few minutes alone in this cell for him to realize what was going on. This was Vega's doing. He was keeping Julian from warning Ken about the tournament. It totally enraged him.
"Let me out you stupid fucks!"
He kicked the door with the side of his heel, not stupid enough to break his toes trying to kick it any other way. It still hurt, but the pain helped him a little. Reminded him not to stop. He stood only a few feet from the door, his fists gripped tightly at his sides, fury running through his eyes. He was clad in simple black boxer shorts he had slept in. It left his tattoos highly visible. Black thorns woven around his right bicep and a black cross on his upper back. The only shameful one was hidden under fabric, thankfully. It wasn't a voluntary experience like the others had been. It meant nothing but hate to him. He heard keys clanging and the door opened. Vega stepped in, smug smile on his face.
"Now, now Julian. You were not harmed were you? I do not think there is any reason to be so upset."
"I know what you did and it's sick!"
"I simply did what I knew you would not. I have suspected your interference in other things. I did not want to risk any with something this important."
"You just want to fucking torture me."
Vega let a wicked smile spread across his lips.
"That too."
"What'd you do to him?"
"Ken Masters will be at the tournament. He will see what you have become and you will fight him. You will win or die. Kill or be killed. Get it?"
"No fucking way."
"You do not have a choice!"
"Like hell I don't!"
Julian lunged forward, letting his anger take over. He threw a right punch directly at Vega's face. Vega ducked and Julian followed up with a left jab into his gut. Vega made a stifled noise but matched Julian's previous punch with and uppercut to his jaw. Julian stumbled backwards, only a little thrown by the hit. He jumped high into the air, twisting at the perfect moment, causing his heel to slam hard into Vega's shoulder. Upon landing from the move, Julian kept turning and swept his feet under, a now off balance, Vega. Vega hit the floor hard. He and Julian came to standing at the same time, face to face again.
They circled each other in the small room. Vega looked calm and collected in comparison to Julian who was slightly out of breath and sweating. But Vega couldn't match Julian's intensity. Julian, in his mind, was fighting for his very soul. Vega took the initiative this time, charging towards Julian. With lighting speed, his fists and feet flew at Julian in quick succession. One after the other, then another. Julian blocked the first few advances, but he couldn't keep up with Vega. He was too fast for him. Hits started finding their mark. A backhand to his jaw, fist to the eye, various hits to his chest and finally a devastating kick to the side of his head. Julian fell onto the ground with a loud thud. He tried to get up using his arms, but Vega' foot was in his back, pressing down hard. Julian bit his lip, not willing to cry out no matter what Vega did to him.
Vega kneeled next to Julian's fallen form and brought his face to his ear as he whispered.
"You can never win. Just give it up and fully join Shadowlaw, for we will be victorious."
Julian gathered all his strength. As he brought his elbow up and slammed it hard into Vega's sternum he yelled.
"Never!"
Vega's body failed in the air before slamming into the opposite wall. Julian stood over him, his own face now bloody enough to match his knuckles. Vega was stunned; hurt, badly. Julian bent over and grabbed his neck, not thinking twice about killing him. He looked into Vega's cold blue eyes and was about to constrict his fingers when Vega muttered in a stifled tone.
"Hágalo. Entonces, por fin será como yo. (Do it. Then you will finally be just like me.)"
Julian let Vega's body drop without causing any harm to him. He backed away, his past all the bad memories returning to him in a sudden rush. It wasn't true. It couldn't be. If it was he wouldn't be wondering right now. He felt many arms grabbing his and was pulled back into the real world with a sudden rush of regret. He was trapped again. He struggled against the men holding him, but there were too many.
"No! Nooo! Let me the fuck go! Get off of me!!"
He watched in horror as Vega rose to his feet, with much more grace than Julian would have liked being in his current position. Vega approached him then and spoke.
"Do not sound so disappointed…"
Vega slammed his hand down hard on the back of Julian's head and then his world went black.
"…I gave you the chance."